14 DAY TRIAL // Repair shop iFixit has released a Tablet Repairability chart listing the grades scored by the most popular tablet computers based on the company’s own criteria. Of Apple’s iPads, the first-gen model scored the highest.
A good score on iFixit’s repairability scale means the device has to be “relatively inexpensive to repair because it is easy to disassemble and has a service manual available.”
These are just some of the things where Apple falls short when it comes to its hot-selling iPads.
While the first-generation model is praised for its front panel held in place with clips and an LCD that isn’t fused to the display glass, the newer versions (iPad 2, 3, 4 and iPad mini), have more cumbersome inner workings that make the battery hard to remove and replace, and present a “high chance of cracking the glass during disassembly.”
Some pluses include: “LCD is easy to replace once the front panel is removed” on the iPad 2, 3, and 4, as well as “LCD and glass are not fused together,” on the iPad mini.
The diminutive tablet computer also has excessive amounts of adhesive that holds everything in place, while hidden screws complicate disassembly, according to iFixit.
The first-generation iPad 1 scored six points on the iFixit repairability scale, while the rest of Apple’s tablets scored just two points each.
“Points are docked based on the difficulty of opening the device, the types of fasteners found inside, and the complexity involved in replacing major components,” iFixit elaborates.
“Points are awarded for upgradability, use of non-proprietary tools for servicing, and component modularity,” the repair shop adds.
The company put Microsoft’s Surface Pro on the last place with a single-point score citing tons of adhesive and risks of shearing the display cables while prying the device open.
Visit the iFixit repairability table here where each row is holds a hyperlink to the teardown of each tablet PC.